Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts dead at 80

The long-serving drummer of the Rolling Stones, Charlie Watts, is dead at 80, the band confirmed on its Facebook page on Tuesday.

Watts joined the band shortly after it was formed in 1962. Though he was rarely in the limelight compared to singer Mick Jagger or guitarist Keith Richards, he was a steady presence through the band's decades of music production.

Watts had announced earlier this month that he would not participate in the band's upcoming No Filter tour of the US this year, citing recovery from an unspecified medical procedure.

"Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also, as a member of the Rolling Stones, one of the greatest drummers of his generation," read the statement.